UPDATE: Due to unforeseen circumstances and technical limitations, ESPNU will not carry any games on television, including the previously announced Stetson vs Rider game. All streaming links are updated and work.
DELAND, Fla. – Stetson began its longest scheduled road trip of the season Tuesday, crossing the Atlantic Ocean for a pair of games in Dublin, Ireland facing off with Rider on Friday morning and Niagara Saturday afternoon as part of the ASUN/MAAC Dublin Basketball Challenge with both games taking place Ireland's National Basketball Arena.
The Hatters are still in the discovery process of learning the team identity, but so far, the process has given Stetson amazing results with two historic wins, beating Florida State and South Florida. Between the two wins, it knocks out losing streaks of 33 years to USF and 47 years to FSU.
Stetson has stormed out of the gates to start the season with wins over Florida State and South Florida halting multiple decades losing streaks to both programs with both games on the road. After Tropical Storm Nicole caused a postponement in the original home opener for the Hatters, the new one stands to happen on November 29 with the rescheduling of Johnson University (Florida).
SU has played both teams but only with four combined meetings. The most recent contest with either was about 29 years ago when the Hatters lost to Rider, 68-67, on December 29, 1993. Stetson defeated the Broncs in the other two meetings, one in 1969, the other in 1985 with all three games taking place in DeLand. For Niagara, it's been over 40 years since the squads met on the court with Stetson taking the win, 80-57, on December 12, 1981. The pair met in the Tangerine Bowl Tournament on a neutral court in Orlando, Florida.
Rider has split their first pair of games this season with a one-point loss at Providence, 66-65, followed up by a 27-point home win over the College of New Jersey, 87-50. Dwight Murray Jr., is scoring 17.5 points per game with Allen Powell also in double figures every time out [14.5]. The Broncs are out rebounding opponents 79-69 on the year, with a 27-18 assist-to-turnover ratio.
With the exception of a nine-point win in an exhibition with Roberts Wesleyan, 72-63, Niagara has struggled out of the gates with back-to-back road losses of more than 15 points: Maryland 71-49 and Bucknell 68-50. Braxton Bayless is the only scorer averaging double-digits, 10.5 per game. The Purple Eagles are being outrebounded 66-54 with an even assist-to-turnover ratio, 24 in both categories.
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS (PDF).
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